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Author Topic: Grammar 101...  (Read 25036 times)

julilly

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #60 on: August 23, 2010, 06:48:44 AM »

*tsk* um exscuse me, but realize is spelled with a "z"  ;P    :whip: :nyahnyah:

sorry had to do it.  :)

Um, excuse me (which only has one "s" by the way), Americans don't know how to write proper English.

I don't need to follow up with a slew of smilies to make it seem like I'm joking either, because I'm not.
« Last Edit: August 23, 2010, 06:54:04 AM by julilly »
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TheDistantHeart

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #61 on: August 24, 2010, 06:54:50 AM »

As a non-native English speaker, I say that none of the spellings bother me (although I've never seen Canadian spelling, or maybe I did but never knew it was Canadian lol). The English teachers I've had are all confusing as hell. One teaches us to spell the British way (or do you say 'English way'?) and others teach us to spell the American way. Like, what the hell. :( Same with pronouncing things. For example the word 'fast'. (Or words like dance, mask, past, class, can't etc) I don't know how to explain it but I guess you know how Brits pronounce 'fast' and how Americans pronounce 'fast'. I've had teachers who were totally into the British pronouncing and other teachers were totally into the American pronouncing.

So, at some point I chose which way I wanted to write 'cause I started to mix up both spellings, and I chose American. Not because I don't like the British (English?) spelling and pronouncing (in fact, I find it really pretty) but because I listen to a lot of American artists and I'm signed up on American websites, so that's why. I used to have contact with a girl from Wales and one from London and I loved their slang and typical words like 'rubbish' and stuff. I learnt a lot from those girls but not long later I got in contact with an American girl so when she said something like "it sucks" I replied with "yeah, it's rubbish" and she was like "huh, what?" then I was like "oops!" to myself. :D
It's too bad I lost contact with all of them. It's hard keeping contact only via the internet. ::)

Anyway, for me it doesn't matter if I read a fanfic written by someone from the UK or someone from the USA 'cause I've been taught both ways. :D

Oh, something off-topic but one time in English class we had a spelling test at the same moment I chose to spell and pronounce the American way. However, I forgot my current teacher loves the UK (she visits London ten times a year... no seriously). So, she put the test in front of us where you had to translate Dutch sentences to English. Many words could've been spelled differently; British and American. But I spelled everything the American way so when she let everybody say their answer one at a time and it was my turn to tell how I spelled it, my teacher said "no, you're wrong. It's this, you spelled it the American way". So I replied with, "But ma'am, this is English class. No one ever said if this was British English or American English. How am I supposed to know?" (mind you, we had to speak English throughout the whole class unless someone really doesn't understand it or doesn't know.. and I had a lot of people in my class who didn't know anything at all) Ever since then she accepts both ways. ;D
« Last Edit: August 24, 2010, 06:57:50 AM by TheDistantHeart »
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julilly

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #62 on: August 24, 2010, 07:16:04 AM »

As a non-native English speaker, I say that none of the spellings bother me (although I've never seen Canadian spelling, or maybe I did but never knew it was Canadian lol). The English teachers I've had are all confusing as hell. One teaches us to spell the British way (or do you say 'English way'?) and others teach us to spell the American way.

Canadian spellings are the same as English way. :)
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RokofAges75

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #63 on: August 24, 2010, 06:04:34 PM »

That is interesting, Imke.  I don't know why there's such a difference.  America likes to do its own thing, I guess.  We're like the only country that uses Fahrenheit for temperature and the customary system of measurement, instead of Celsius and metric.  The only time we ever use Celsius and metric is in school (or if your job involves science, obviously).  It would be much easier if we just went along with the rest of the world! LOL
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ForeverFrick

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #64 on: August 24, 2010, 09:13:45 PM »

My degree was in English/Writing, and I'm in the process of getting licensed to teach it, so I really do love this thread! I'm enjoying reading the daily grammar lessons.   :)
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RokofAges75

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #65 on: August 25, 2010, 06:22:40 AM »

Eh, not so daily anymore - sorry!  Anyone else, feel free to keep posting homophones, or we can move on to something else LOL.  I was gonna do punctuation next.
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Carter-Orange

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #66 on: August 25, 2010, 08:06:44 AM »

Have we had were, where and we're yet?

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Carter-Orange

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #67 on: August 25, 2010, 08:14:29 AM »

OK, I looked back and we haven't had were, where and we're yet, so I'll do them.  Here are some examples although I'm not as good as Julie with the explanations, so I'll leave that part out!

Where are you going? 

We were at the Backstreet Boys concert last night and it was fantastic.

We're (we are) going to the cinema to see Toy Story 3 if you want to join us.

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mare

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #68 on: August 25, 2010, 10:52:02 AM »

I'll add on a few at some point today as well, but like Steph said, i'm not that great at explaining why the rules are the way they are either. I just kind of know them, if that makes any sense? I'm the music teacher so ask me how to finger an 'f' on the flute and i'm your girl. This stuff, not so much! lol
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TheDistantHeart

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #69 on: August 25, 2010, 04:00:48 PM »

That is interesting, Imke.  I don't know why there's such a difference.  America likes to do its own thing, I guess.  We're like the only country that uses Fahrenheit for temperature and the customary system of measurement, instead of Celsius and metric.  The only time we ever use Celsius and metric is in school (or if your job involves science, obviously).  It would be much easier if we just went along with the rest of the world! LOL

Heh, I've been taught how much Fahrenheit is how much Celcius at English class too but I keep forgetting so when I see a temperature mentioned in Fahrenheit I automatically think in Celcius and I go like "THAT IS RIDICULOUSLY HOT! HOW CAN YOU SURVIVE? Oh wait... heeeh". I found out not so long ago how many dollars is how many euros. :D And I know the Japanese yen and British pound since last week lmao! The Swedish crown was the first one I knew 'cause my best friend lives in Sweden. :) It's easier than I thought! (And I have eeh... dyscalculia? So it's harder for me to calculate from one currency to another. I have trouble calculating and anything with numbers in general lol) I think dollars are the easiest. I got so confused with Swedish crowns last year even though it was my second time in Sweden. For example, I saw a shirt for 200 crowns, which is 20 euros (which is about 25 dollars) but I kept on thinking in euros so I was like "HOLY CRAP 200 EUROS FOR A SHIRT?! ... oh wait". Similar to Fahrenheit-Celcius. :D

Ok, I'm getting off-topic lol.

Where, were, we're is a really good one. :)
I can't think of any 'complication' atm, but as soon as I stumble upon one I will check this topic and mention it!
Oh wait! I stumbled upon one this afternoon... OH YES!
When I write someone is for example going to bed.. is he/she lying down or laying down? Is it "he lied down" or "he layed down"? And is it "he lies down"? I'm confused 'cause you also got "You lied to me!" "Stop lying (lieying? that looks weird)". It's something I've been wondering for ages but always forgot to ask!
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RokofAges75

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #70 on: August 25, 2010, 05:26:02 PM »

OK, I looked back and we haven't had were, where and we're yet, so I'll do them.  Here are some examples although I'm not as good as Julie with the explanations, so I'll leave that part out!

Where are you going? 

We were at the Backstreet Boys concert last night and it was fantastic.

We're (we are) going to the cinema to see Toy Story 3 if you want to join us.



Good one!  Thanks, Steph!

I hate when people just don't put the apostrophe in "we're," even though they know better.  Even on a phone, it's not that tough to do; it just takes a few more seconds.
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RokofAges75

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #71 on: August 25, 2010, 05:35:00 PM »

Oh wait! I stumbled upon one this afternoon... OH YES!
When I write someone is for example going to bed.. is he/she lying down or laying down? Is it "he lied down" or "he layed down"? And is it "he lies down"? I'm confused 'cause you also got "You lied to me!" "Stop lying (lieying? that looks weird)". It's something I've been wondering for ages but always forgot to ask!

Ooh, this is a GREAT one!!  Trust me, this is confusing even for native English-speakers, and many, many people mix them up.

To start out, there are two different verbs - "to lie" and "to lay."  "To lie," as in "I'm going to lie down on my bed and take a nap," and "to lay" as in "I'm going to lay my outfit out on my bed."  You use "lie" when referring to yourself and "lay" when referring to an object.

Where it gets really confusing is with the verb tenses.  The past tense of "lie" (in that case) is "lay."  The past tense of "lay" is "laid."  So you would say "I lay down on my bed and take a nap" and "I laid my outfit out on my bed."

Also confusing is the fact that "to lie" can also mean to TELL a lie, but the past tense of that verb is "lied."  I think most native English speakers know that it just sounds wrong to say "I lied down on my bed," though.

Here's an article that explains this in depth: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/lay-versus-lie.aspx  I Googled it to double-check and make sure I was explaining this correctly, 'cause it really is easy to get confused!!
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mare

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #72 on: August 25, 2010, 05:40:47 PM »

^ I have trouble with lay and lie. I always have to go back and look it up, always! lol
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RokofAges75

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #73 on: August 25, 2010, 05:44:02 PM »

It really is ridiculously confusing!  I'm good at the whole grammar thing, but I second guess myself on that one, too.
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~Julie

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mare

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Re: Grammar 101...
« Reply #74 on: August 25, 2010, 05:46:08 PM »

It's the past tense that gets me because it sounds so wrong to use lay in past tense. lol It's like my brain refuses to believe that it is correct.
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Writing is something you do alone. Its a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don't want to make eye contact while doing it. ~ John Green
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